Down girls book spot in decider

Down girls book spot in decider

29 August 2012

DOWN camogs are through to their second successive RTE All-Ireland Premier Junior All-Ireland final after beating Laois in Dublin on Saturday and now meet Meath on September 16.

This game was always going to be a big hurdle for the girls to clear for many reasons, much less the difficult under foot conditions both teams had to deal with throughout the match.

Captain Fionnuala Carr got the team off to the ideal start with a point within seconds of the throw-in, but Laois replied with two fine points of their own before Fionnuala tied the game again with a converted free.

Laois enjoyed a period of domination when Eimear Delaney found the Down net and Sile Burke and Louise Mahony scored a point apiece.

This seemed to spark the Down girls into life and points from Sara Louise Carr, Lisa McCrickard and the industrious Laura Hughes. Down really got to grips with the game and Fionnuala Carr added another couple of points to tie the match a 1-4 to 0-7.

A great diagonal ball from Sara Louise Carr set Niamh Mallon, in but when the ball was deflected away from her, Fionnuala Carr was backing up to unleash a pile driver on the Laois goal.

This brought the best out of Laura Dunne in the Laois nets, but her save fell to Niamh Mallon who did not hesitate in driving an unstoppable shot to the net.

This was a real tonic for the troops and with an even greater bounce in their step, Down drove forward again and again. Laura Hughes collected the ball in the left hand wing and found Mallon with a through ball and again the Portaferry ace found the net.

On the stroke of half-time the same girls combined for Mallon to score another point.

The many travelling supporters did not want the half to end as the Mourne girls were really on song, but when the whistle sounded they had a healthy 2-8 to 1-4 lead.

Down maintained the pressure after the break and the next 30 minutes of camogie will be remembered for the fact that the Red and Blacks did not add to their score.

This was not the result of Laois enjoying complete domination of play as they only added a goal and a point to their tally, but a variety of reasons, not least the continual stoppages due to the length of the grass, neither team being able to convert their opportunities from play or the many frees.

Both teams dug in deep and with the reliable Liatroim girls Grainne O’Higgins and Ciara McGovern and the outstanding Karen Tinnelly neutralising the best Laois attacks Down held on to the three point lead to join Ulster neighbours Derry in headquarters on September 16.

Down: Catriona McCrickard, Karen Tinnelly, Grainne O’Higgins, Ciara McGovern, Catherine Rocks, Lisa McCrickard (0-1), Emma McCormack, Lisa McPolin, Maria McNally, Catherine McGourty, Laura Hughes (0-1), Paula Gribben, Niamh Mallon (2-1) Fionnuala Carr (0-4), Sara-Louise Carr (0-1). Subs: Claire McKenna, Brid McGourty, Karen Gribben, Nicola Braniff, Nicola O’Gorman, Orla Maginn for M McNally, Eimear Dynes, Orla McLogan, Karen McMullan for L. Hughes, Kelly O’Higgins.

Down 2-8

Laois 2-5

ALL-IRELAND JC SEMI-FINAL